Department of Bacteriology

Head:
LCDR Andrea McCoy, MSC USN

Deputy:
LT James Regeimbal, MSC USN

The Department of Bacteriology works in a variety of subject fields within the naval medical research arena as well as with local and international collaborators. Topics of particular interest have centered on enteric diseases and traveler’s diarrhea research along with a joint effort in vaccine development. We are also currently working with local hospitals towards effective surveillance of nosocomial infections and emerging bacterial resistance with a push to provide more molecular descriptions of resistant isolates. Other projects encompass sexual transmitted infections, etiology and prevalence of meningoencephalitis, climate and environmental aspects of diarrhea transmission, as well as emerging bacteriological threats and outbreak management.

On-going projects include:
Diarrheal Diseases
● Surveillance for antimicrobial-resistant enteropathogens in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay
● Epidemiology of acute diarrheal disease in Peruvian military members and children in Iquitos, Peru
● Studies of the etiologies of diarrhea in travelers seeking medical attention in Cusco, Peru
● The etiology, impact, and prevention in pediatric diarrhea in coastal Peru and in the Peruvian Amazon

Vaccine Development
● Pre-clinical evaluation of candidate DoD enteric vaccines in the Aotus nancymae non-human primate (NHP) model, including the immunogenicity and efficacy of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli adhesin-based vaccines and prototype Campylobacter capsule/protein conjugate vaccines
● Development and improvement of diagnostic strategies for infections due to Brucella and Leptospira species

Febrile Illness and Surveillance
● Determination of bacterial etiologies of febrile syndromes in a variety of populations in Latin America
● Development and improvement of diagnostic strategies for infections due to Brucella and Leptospira species

Sexually Transmitted Infections
● Evaluation of antimicrobial resistance and genetic determinants of resistance in Neisseria gonorrhaeae
● STI surveillance in military and civilian populations in Peru
● Evaluation of population impacts of HIV/STD interventions
● Development of the capability for rapid presumptive and confirmatory testing of potential biowarfare agents